This is really bugging me. I want to hook my unibody mbp up to my tv via composite cable. Composite is roughly the analog components of VGA. VGA is analog, correct? but the pin-out on the mini display port does not specify a dedicated analog path. but it does have vague reverences to non-video data lines (pin 2 and 4)

I have tried mini DP ->DVI-I adapter, to a DVI-I -> component cable with no success. (implying no analog present at all)

so, how is analog getting out of the port for VGA? is there a feedback resistor inside the adapter which is communicating with the video card to specify digital for the DVI-d adapter, and analog for the VGA adapter? what this all is implying to me is you only get analog out of the graphics card with a VGA adapter and only digital with the DVI-d.

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To my awareness, VGA is only Analogue. The DVI Apple offers is the DVI-D version, and therefore digital. I don't know all the fancy terms for it, but in so many words as far as I'm aware, this is Analogue, and the DVI-D version Apple supply is the only Digital version they offer...

All digital. It starts digital from your iDevice and passes along HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and straight to your HD monitor. Never gets converted. Now if your using a component Analog converter then yes it will be a standard D to A conversion common to most devices of this time. Unfortunately we live in the time of A to D conversions but analog is fighting tough